Age of Dark
by VI Intelligence
Summary: Post Season 3 RWBY. Ozpin's captured by Salem, the Queen now waits for the final setup of the stage and shares a few moments of thought with her opponent. While the Queen awaits the players however, another force is beginning to retaliate in return for a war long thought over. Dark Souls lore crossover.
1. Chapter 1

RWBY: Musing of the Abyss

Author's Note: this is the thought of Salem, the Big Bad of the series besides Cinder. What if she was more than a creature of the dark?

"So we reveal our face to the world as its queen," Salem mused as she witnessed the deaths of the Valens safely tucked away from the actual battle taking place, chuckling mirthlessly as she sat on the rock overlooking the chaotic scene of turbulent gales battering and howling, the 'Queen' able to pick up the noises of humanity's doubts and fears feeding the desperation and hatred of her inhuman subjects, preparing for their latest attack. The 'Queen' sighed, closing the last images of a bright light consuming the top of Beacon academy almost blinding her, though she knew the implications of what had occurred dispelling her earlier belief she was close. Finally, a new threat had emerged to combat her plans. The new silver eyed warrior was unexpected, she had gotten rid of the first and she had hoped it would be the last for a few more decades, however it seemed that the strange girl in red had somehow eluded her notice for far too long. Salem felt almost bad, she would have to kill the child in the future to prevent further interference like the last few months had been to her, yet at the same time convincing her of diverting her path would be fruitless. Cinder had seen to her friend the champion Pyrrha, another noble soul capable of malicious destruction had she embraced what would come.

"Ozpin, I wonder if you have truly lost your sense of reality that you showed me in your youth, when you met me for the first time I had thought you mad," Salem flicked the left side of her hair brushing it aside as she allowed herself the moment to remember and to reflect. She remembered it wasn't raining, just a cloudy day on a typical day when she would quietly withdraw from her duties for a time and roam the forest and the territory that she knew so intimately, recalling every corner and every forgotten street which once covered the ground with brick, dirt paths filled with little to no trace of the former holdings of humans who used to live under the protective banner of the Four Seasons. She was nostalgic, the human part of her anyway, that led to her re exploration of the landscape to not only see how much had changed, but her walk was interrupted by the sounds of a scuffle evoking curiosity.

She followed curious, and saw a mighty Huntsman fell an old Snarler, a corrupted tiger who she knew had lived for two centuries without much effort. It was then that she tried to hide, only to have been discovered when she peeked out of her hiding place. Salem could name the various emotions she felt when she first examined him: white hair with a lack of glasses to hide his devious calculating bleak black eyes which were wider than the narrowed focus and disciplined restraint replaced by idealism and impulsiveness. He immediately drew her attention, perhaps it was the light of his soul that led her to befriend this strange young Hunter, unaware of what he would become. Salem smirked, remembering him in that brief time as she turned her face away from the foreboding dark sky and lightning, lifting her body from the rock to retreat into the shelter of the carved castle of stone and dirt.

Facing the room, Salem waved a hand to the darkness, immediately lit by the appearance of seven great spurts of fire which engulfed seven nearby cracked basins of black oil, the bronze-like skin exposed to the elements beneath fallen flakes of plaster. Salem seemingly glided, her dress obscuring her feet as the entire length hugged around the front of her shins, moving inward under four arches of dirt and chipped stone. In the middle of it all, laid a large structure with its edges chipped and carved to make a perfect stone hexagon, filled with cold icy water clouded by a dark shade of blue and what appeared to be a fog-like cloak of obscurity. Salem kneeled by the water, her finger lightly dipping the surface and shivered, withdrawing her fingers as she rubbed her wet sensitive fingers, slightly mesmarized at how much she could still feel despite her...changes to her current physical form.

"Oh, Ozpin...you were but a shard of kindness even to a monster like me, such care, compassion found in few pure hearts. So much love. But yet..." Salem paused, stirring the water as she waved a hand over the pool, the murky clear blue suddenly began to recede, like a light fog in the presence of the rising sun's piercing rays revealed that the pool wasn't simply an empty body of water. Sealed, in a deep slumber beneath the pool, hands folded across a chest of black with the drape of a green scarf, palms overlapping one another laid the very object of her attention himself, his face littered with small cuts and light bruisings on his left cheek and upper lip which were thinly sealed in a straight line. His skin was paler than the usual hue of beige, the cold temperature of the waters freezing his skin to a light white while his white hair was drenched, the messy ragged tussels of hair stuck over his face obscuring his eyes and ears. Salem loomed over him, her upper body leaning dangerously close to unbalance as she eyed his distorted features under the ripples.

"Yet you fall, like so many before you. You assume your plans are a revolution, when time and past kingdoms have shown humans who have your caliber and shared ideals. How befitting that we two sides of the opposing force would meet like this." Salem eyed Ozpin's body with unspoken coveted hunger, her hand lifting upwards into the air as the latter's unconscious form obeyed upon command breaking the barrier of water and land before Salem curled a finger towards her chest, the 'Queen' of Grimm receiving his body, quietly cradling his head against her breasts as she watched him breathe noting his shallow gasps as his body shook trembling from the cold and her presence.

"Shall I tell you a story? A story to ease your pain while we wait together for the final act of our tale to begin?" Salem whispered in his ear as she found her fingers allured to his white hair sparkling from the reflective droplets sliding down every strand and ice cold skin. Hearing no reply, she chuckled at her own lack of thought. "Oh my, Ozpin how foolish of me to not realize your current predicament. I shall tell you anyway. In a land, older and lost to the maps of this world, there once lived a kingdom who was mighty and powerful. Their king, a man of military strength and valor, ruled with an intent to prosper and propel his kingdom to great heights. His elder brother stood beside him, a man who did not take the throne as the normal succession of kings would have or as the entitlement of age dictated but helped his brother achieve peace. The king built his kingdom over a great mass of land across his continent, they knew no border and their people hardly knew the devourer called War in those years after he established the kingdom and forged it with steel."

"However one day, there came from the wilderness, a newcomer to the kingdom from afar, her intent unknown to all but herself where she sought refuge." Salem paused, her smile becoming a thin frown as she recalled the detail from this part of the tale, evidently displeased while her hand refrained from combing the white tangled hair seeing Ozpin stir slightly but yet anesthetized from the pool hearing her words. "She was a woman, beauty unrivaled and full of ambition who caught the king's eye and was made Queen in the short term that she resided within the walls of the king's court, shocking those who were present at the decision to marry."

"In the days to come, the kingdom knew only war and tragedy, leading their men against the mighty Giants who held a precious thing that the Queen desired, whispering her poisonous words into the ear of the king and his brother who then followed her reasoning and made ready for war. After they acquired what they sought after, the Giants retaliated with brutal vengeance, burning and pillaging everything in their path for this theft punishing them with impunity. But before everything truly crumbled to nothing, when the king was fighting the war one more tragedy was to displace the entire kingdom into complete chaos. Their Queen, the woman who ruled the kingdom was barely something you will call human...in fact, you can say that she is what I am to you."

Stopping, Salem cupped his cheek, leaning forward to drag her lips across before breathing into Ozpin's ear, spotting a twitch from his fingers. Salem felt her heart burn with lustful desire, her hand reaching for the button of his coat, eyeing his motionless form while she dragged her hand under his jacket, tutting at the turtleneck sweater beneath. Restraining herself from going further she continued her tale. "The king was unable to defend his kingdom from what came next, the third and final act which emcompassed and sealed his fate. The land was slowly afflicted, the peace achieved by the destruction of the Giants a bittersweet victory became more unbearable when the men and women of his kingdom became ill. Though it was not mere illness of the body that affected that, but one of the mind and soul."

Ozpin said nothing, though his face was beginning to clench as the dark pouring from Salem's Aura began to influence and encircle his mind as he let out a short frightful hollow gasp without a sound, Salem innocently continuing to speak as she pressed her influence over him."Those denizens transformed, the citizens who once cheered for Vendrick and his knights were reduced to mourning, hopeless and hardly attended to the returning troops from the Giant war in the Forest the streets almost laid barren while Vendrick still found his Queen growing less warmer and less receptive to him, hiding behind an empty smile. It was then that the king realized something was wrong, but the damage had been done. The plague spread, and people soon came to realize that they were growing more empty with every passing day, their hopes, their dreams, emotions...all of that faded slowly as celebrations and parades were dissected for contemplation. Dogma seeped in, and thus the kingdom began to spiral while Vendrick's brother's research drove him further and further away, to the point that he left. Even with his bodyguards, his army at his back, Vendrick realized he was alone. Eventually the Queen made her move, intent on moving towards the seat of power, the throne of Want and thus ascend with the Dark...and the dear naive little king finally made a choice to sacrifice whatever he had left, for his kingdom and love for a woman who was intent on ruining him."

Glancing at Ozpin, Salem shut her eyes ignoring the suffering of her rival in her arms while she comforted herself with the wet heavy locks of white. Seeing him shudder under her weight served to please her, satisfied that she still could exert such strong emotion from him. Salem wiped his wet forehead, bringing her hand to her nose to sniff at the mixture of water and sweat, shaking at the near euphoria of his fear. "You are so predictable, my little king. Even with the centuries you are never able to run from what truly makes you who you are. So resilient, stubborn and gritty, it's a near shame so many of your students and people under your watch have to be sacrificed for this one singular path."

"There was a time, Ozpin...I would have believed you to be the one who could understand what I intend to do for the people of Remnant, the purpose that Father sought after when he was whole now passed to his children. You were a pragmatist, a believer in the ideals and yet cautious enough to know the practical reality of the world's order, it's workings, it's weaknesses...your perception could serve me well, helped others understand that the Dark will have to rule for a time, when the Fire must give up their mighty thrones." Salem turned back to Ozpin's body, using her finger to dig into the turtleneck as an invisble force began to slice the fabric in a perfect line, the Queen having a long look at his upper chest tracing the centre where his heart lied.

"The time of the fires have to be swallowed by the dark, there cannot be this consistency of fire, just as a consistency of dark gave birth to the kingdoms who now suffer the burden of fighting the dark, the Maidens who you treasure so much over everything for change in this world who were made to push the darkness and keep them at bay for many centuries, so it is temporary...the longer you keep this peace, the longer the darkness' reach extends, and the greater the fall you will make." Salem caressed Ozpin's lips, her thumb playfully smoothing over the cracked skin tapping the broken fissure of thin blood from where he was struck full force against Cinder's assault.

"In spite of our differences, you are someone I want to save you from this fate, and I will continue to do so for your sake, and for mine." Salem withdrew from the fallen Huntsman, her mouth opened to speak further before a low grumble from the distance alerted her to something, Salem shaking her head while her previous soft, compassionate expression became overwhelmed by her colder, darker exterior the Queen persona instinctively etched a frown on her face. Snapping her fingers, Ozpin was immediately lifted over the pool, before he was lowered gently back into the depths while Salem watched almost apologetic at the interruption, Salem patting her white dress as she eyed the large portal and the purple abyss with crimson trails.

"The time is coming, I've seen it now, the Dark shall begin to challenge the Fire once more, and those who do not know Death, shall begin to awaken from their remains. For all who remain, the Bell shall toll, the Awakening of the dead reborn."

" **Then go, my daughter, and make war with the sons of the Dark."**

Salem bowed as the presence left her senses, leaving the 'Queen' to herself as she gave a back glance at Ozpin's sinking body, knowing that whatever words she would share with him will have to wait for now. "For now, brave and foolish naive Ozpin, sleep until the act has pulled its curtains over this stage and the victor shall arise from the battlefield."

End


	2. Chapter 2

RWBY: Falling Embers

Author's notes: I decided to pin up a chapter for the beginning of this fic, as the idea of the oneshot had some promise including the blend of Dark Souls lore and RWBY in the form of Aura and the soul. Let me know what you think of this attempt to writing an extended beginning to the oneshot.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the OC crafted to be the Chosen Undead, but everything else belongs to Monty and Rooster Teeth co as well as Fromsoftware respectively.

* * *

 **It is said that Aura is the manifestation of the soul. If this is true, then where did the art come from?**

 **-A philosopher when asked about the origins of Aura**

* * *

 **Within the texts of old, studying on the true origins of Aura, an ancient text found at a Vacuo dig site when diggers uncovered a small monolith the height of the average person, buried by what appeared to be human tools. The archeologists studying it have released a statement, stating it may be the key towards the right direction.**

 **According to the archeologist Dillian Greylock, the text was not a description but more of a poem which seem to coincide with the legend of the Maidens spoken so long ago, who historians have generally agreed to as the first known users of Aura. The poem's verses so far were translated to these words:**

 **A season for mourning, a season to atone**

 **For the Queens have forsaken their once lofty thrones,**

 **Entrusted by those, the Lords of Before,**

 **To guard their own land, against Darkness foe.**

 **The Father who sleeps, will not be consoled**

 **The Mother who weeps, shall know only war**

 **For the Queens have forsaken their once lofty thrones,**

 **Forgive us, we plead, to the Great Flame above!**

 **This poem is the only record that relates to the Queens, suspected highly to be the Four Maidens and their Seasonal gifts. But information is still incomplete, the facts have yet to be fully studied from the monolith to fully comprehend the importance this monolith could hold towards Aura. However, one questions does remain.**

 **Who, or what exactly, is the entity called the Great Flame? Is it a being, a deity, or something that may have connections to these forementioned Four Queens? The answers, at this moment, will remain unknown.**

 **-'Theories on the known' Chapter 4, Aura and spirituality**

* * *

Musings of the Dark, Chapter One

 **The Age of Fire will come to an end.**

The Lord of Cinder, the true Soul of the Ashen and its collective souls fell to its knees in a final act of defeat, its blackened plated boots weakened as the once powerful warrior had finally lost its strength letting out a groan as its gaunleted hands shrouded in thick black wisps slapped the ground his blade slipping from his tight grasp. The Lord of Cinder breathed, a sharp inhuman hiss like a clogged steam pipe with soft chokes and sputters as the warrior did not attempt to rise up to take arms in incensed retaliation, only to have his forearms meekly raise a few centimeters while his shoulders rose with the effort and sank back down. It was enough, he had had enough. He knew that even if he tried to fight the inevitable, it would have come to no cost but his own withering life which was slipping through his fingers. The sounds of battle had ended with the mortal blow, nothing but silence, the agonising silence remained that had tormented him for centuries since he had last known sunlight, the comforting warmth of the fire that once gave life to him was beginning to set with the cold touch of death and ice.

It was finally over.

*crunch

The Lord of Cinder heard the ash in front of him being stepped on as grey leaves of ancient trees and ash flew into the air mixing with the flickering embers of the bonfire behind him which was fleeting away, waning in intensity. Standing before him, looking at him with eyes filled with emptiness equal to his own, a duo stood before him cautiously eyeing him for any sudden movements from him. One, a sorcerer with dim lucid silver eyes and fair hazel red hair, stood with a worn iron staff wrapped with yew covering the iron protectively like a sheet from the brutal elements while a sword laid resting in the other hand, pointed at the ground wearing a large brimmed hat and a sleek black robe with worn out leather shoulder guards shielding it from easy crippling blows. The second, looking at him with eyes of fiery determination of green with her head of black shoulder length hair, was a woman, wearing a silver tinted plate armor (Silver Knight armor set) with her helmet removed, the warrior recognising her as the one he had struck intent on removing her head only for the helmet to have fallen victim instead. She had been a challenge, her forgoing of defense for attacking him head on seemed foolish when they began to fight, however he had underestimated the mercenary's agilty. A mistake that has proven itself fatal, the kneeling knight's wounds attesting to that failure as the suit of armor and black cinder bowed his head in silent admission to his fatal mistakes. And yet the fight between him and them, the tricks and strategies they employed felt...familiar, almost as if he had known these movements by heart and instinct. The Lord of Cinder eyed his opponenets closer, his memories scattered as he tried to reclaim that feeling of rememberence, but to no avail. Perhaps they were just mere ashes of humans as was prophesised, nothing noteworthy in his own soul to connect. Even if they were what he thought, he wouldn't have enough time to dig further with his current state.

"Lord of Cinder."

The warrior turned, his helmet letting out a tiny chink as a figure familiar to his obscure memories from so long ago, stepped towards him with purpose. If he had not have his helmet, he felt the other two would have been surprised that he could still evoke emotion, though those thoughts of fleeting jests were past his weary mind, his helmet fixated onto the silver-haired woman who went to his side who had called for his title. A flutter of a black cloak and robe replaced his vision of his would be killers, his mind warped and confused managed to find recognition upon seeing the silver diamond like crown over the silver haired woman's eyes a sign of blindness created to be apart of the bonfire.

"It is done, the Age of Fire and Cinder must be turned to ashes."

The Lord of Cinder eyed her through the obscure slits in his helmet, feeling the power of Fire fading from him fast as he decided to perform his final act. His left hand lifted itself, hearing the slide of brandishing metal skimming against their sheathes as he paused looking at the sorcerer and the female mercenary, the Lord unbothered by their childish assumptions as his patience wore thin. With determination filling his weak trembling arteries within his arm, the Lord of Cinder held out his gauntlet reaching for the woman with the silver crown. But tried as he might, the Lord of Cinder could not arch his body forward, his hand trapped just inches from the woman's face as he groaned attempting to shift his knees across the ash covered ground to no avail. However his efforts did not go unnoticed, as a pair of slightly pale hands reached out and held his wrist and palm, shocking the mighty warrior with the touch as his helmet inched up to see the woman kneeling in front of him her hands in an incomplete grip of prayer, lowering her head. The Lord of Cinder couldn't help but feel something, an old habit surfacing to his own mind as his foggy mind suddenly lit up with this little detail, the warrior suddenly finding the words rolling off his tongue.

"...Fi...re...kee...per..." The two children of Ash beside the Firekeeper looked at one another, stunned by his rasping choked voice, the Firekeeper continued to hold onto his hand with her soft tender grip as she slowly brought his hand to cup her cheek, gently holding his gaunlet in place unwilling to part with his grip letting him hold onto her with what feeble strength was left.

"You have done enough, Lord of Cinder." The Firekeeper assured him as the Lord of Cinder's head sagged down, his vision blackened as his mind began to sleep, the ferocious warrior finding it harder to focus on the sea of ash below. "Rest, my lord, for your trial is done."

Hearing her last words to address him, the warrior smiled under his helmet, his eyes closed willingly as he sighed contented with his fate, the once mighty warrior who had fought the pair like a maddened hound to defend a dying cause felt the weight of his responsibility lift from his shoulders, the great Soul stared at the great grey expanse of clouds. The last thing the Lord of Cinder wished as he drifted off into the afterlife, his back giving way to his body which began to descend into floating ash as his soul was being consumed, was regret.

Regret not at leaving the fate of the known world into the hands of the Ashen ones as the Firekeeper moved towards the bonfire, but instead one desire for him to remove that helmet so that he could have let the Firekeeper see him cry.

* * *

Present day

 _The Age of Fire did end, for a time. The Lord of Cinder was put to rest with the final battle, and the Ashes, the remnants of humanity who were raised to reach the last fire in Londo in the face of the Dark finally could find peace in their final death in fading back into the ashes from which they came from while the Firekeeper stayed hugging the flame watching it die before she found eternal sleep at the bonfire's side._

 _However, with the Dark, came the power of the one being who would find comfort in the Abyss. The pieces of the Dark, empowered and emboldened by the call of the Age of Dark and humanity's ascension to their true purpose, aimed to become one in order to summon their eternal Father who Slumbers in the Deep. This attempt was rebuffed by the final heroes who had not faded, who did not turn to ash, becoming the newly installed Dark Lords after the Lords of Cinder had given up their souls and died with the age of old, fighting against those who sought to make their Father whole again. They would bleed, sacrifice and kill for many years, keeping their humanity strong even in this dark new world fighting the followers turned beasts._

 _But then, something changed. The Fire returned to the world, but this time when it came, it was not by the hands of Lords, but something else entirely. Many have speculated on what truly happened, but it was agreed that at that time, the beasts were driven from the world reignited by the flame and the heroes, the Dark Lords saw no need to resign themselves to the dark. They took on the title of Lord of Embers, the child of the Ashen made anew in the light of the waking world, and this time the Fire did not fade, no souls to harvest through sacrifice by fire. Slowly but surely, the humans drove the beasts away, and the Lord of Embers their power waning from the march of time removed themselves from the world knowing it was in the hands of better men and women than they, who would bring about the end of the Dark's avatars for good._

 _Although, was the new world truly any different from the past?_

* * *

Unknown location, Mistral

In the deep forest of the Mistral metropolis and scattered villages far from the safety of humans, a ruin stood proudly defiant of the ages long past, where men, Faunus and Grimm dread to pass standing above the treeline of the vast land devoid of civilisation or life, far from the recent settlements to reach due to the high concentration of Grimm who roamed the borders. Castlellations of ten turret towers, lance tipped roofs with crumbling arches of mortar and brick ascended to the height of a ten floored building, adding to the mighty circular fort in the middle where the arches connected. A series of stained glass windows depicting a bonfire decorated the roof while stone masonry separated each of the bonfires, joining into a large circular rotunda and a greyed tiled roof. The structure was completed with a large belltower of the same height as the turrets towering over the north of the building, watching the Mistral capital afar like a shining beacon of the old world observing their grim future. Within past the array of stained glass tinted , stone pillars ascendents of construction donned the rotunda of the central structure holding the glass from falling onto the ground of polished marble floor with a pattern of fire and images depicting various characters in armor fighting against dark animalistic forms with wisping darkness cloaking them. In the middle of this large mosiac floor, laid a stone altar laid with laurels of flowers, a pair of candlesticks standing on either side of the altar the flames licking at the wax sending small trails of black smoke into the air.

Standing before this majestic sight of light and reflection, observing the stone altar with an incense chime while praying on his knees was a cleric in a white friar's robe of cotton than sackcloth tied at the waist with a thin leather belt and a small pouch where a string of beads belonging to a small rosary hung from the open flap dangerously hanging over the side, with a red tassel draped around the back of his neck as his hood was drawn up to hide his face, the man's hands shivering before the cleric began to walk around the altar, his eyes bloodshot with sleep deprivation as the cleric watched the incense drift in the stale air. Completing his walk, the cleric proceded to kneel on the mosiac in front of the stone altar, bowing his head to press his forehead against the mosiac and looked up to the stained glass depiction above.

"Oh blessed Fire, give us your ear that you may listen to our prayers." The monk began to speak, his words resounding across the room as the silence was deafening, the cleric being the only one there felt at ease as he continued to pray.

"Great Flame, our enemy has arisen again renewed and strengthened in the Deep from which they had came." The monk paused, his words continuing to reverb and bounce off the pillars and walls of the sanctum as he let the words sink in. As he waited, he could hear an incomprehensible whisper in theair, the cleric waiting for the voice to stop as he looked at the altar. "They have taken a new form, a form that resists the new Flame, building their strength from below to strike fear on the surface, fighting from the inside as the kingdoms of Man have gone and turned to dogma and fanaticism eating at their ankles, the Dark are seizing the chaos being sown to grip onto power and control over the land."

He paused again as he felt the sweat from his brow drip down his forehead and slipped over his eye, the whispers becoming louder as the cleric waited patiently for them to fade wiping his brow. "Great Flame, they are the Grimm. Our war with the Dark, is not done or finished...when you granted us the Dark Lords who fought the darkness in its budding youth, were we not victorious? Were the worshippers of the Deep Father not buried with their women, their men, their children, their priests within the tombs of the caverns, never to return? Has the world truly forgotten the works that we have placed in motion, the inheritors of our mission losing their faith to you? We are mere relics, tasked with watching over the world and being the protectors, but now your followers flock to the lure of technology and relying on the arts stolen from us, the use of souls to enhance themselves in mere shadows of their true potential."

The cleric stopped, his hands slapping the mosiac with a hard clap ignoring the pain that passed from his hands as he heard the air shift around him, the candles on the candlesticks beginning to flicker and wane as he saw the wicks of fire die in unison. But he soldiered on. "What, oh Great Flame, will it have to take before we can finally put the Dark to rest?" He waited, raising his head as he felt the wisps of smoke and the bleak darkness suddenly burst into light, the candles which had once died were revived with a black scorching heat, causing the cleric to prostrate his head onto the mosiac.

 **There will never be a final solution, merely a defeat of the Dark due to the persistence of the Dark's presence in human hearts.**

"Great Flame, it cannot be so simple!" The cleric gasped as he stumbled to his feet, the cleric looking at the ceiling of the rotunda above him hearing the voice that spoke to him clear as day as he felt his mortal body tremble in fear and awe beneath his hood. "Have we not suffered enough in the Age of Dark, must the Dark continue to harrass and take everything that we have strived for even in the Fire?" He spoke towards the collection of black fires, his voice finding strength from its feeble cry, the cleric staring at the flames before it moved.

 **The Dark shall always find a way to undermine the Fire, that has been the way since Gwyn linked the First Flame at the kiln. However, with this eternal Flame, the Dark has found its way to surface and grip not only the heart and mind of man, but the soul.**

The voice replied bluntly, the cleric shaking his head again as he gripped the incense chime, the item dragging across the mosiac with a sharp clink as he lifted it in the air. "Great Flame, this desecration of the new world by the mistakes of the old cannot continue!" He protested to the voice, the presence seemed to gain pause as the air began to still compared to the earlier breeze upon hearing them, before it replied.

 **We are aware.**

At this, the cleric let out a cry in panic as the building around them began to shake and tremble, the tremor of the earth almost imbalancing the cleric who had to spread his legs and put his hands out in front of him as he leaned forward trying to stay still as the earth continued to rumble. As he struggled to maintain balance, he heard it high above in the belltower where a distant call could be heard ringing across the deep forest.

 _Ding, Dong, Ding, Dong._

"The Bell," the cleric finally uttered almost as if he had reached a realization as another tremble shook his wobbling knees beneath the robe, the monk returning from his wandering thoughts as he steadied his hands out in front of him, the tolling of the Bell continuing to bellow and chime ringing its toll throughout the sanctum. Five minutes of this agonising experience continued, pillars and small pieces of cracked tectonic plaster began to skim off the walls and ceiling falling to the ground in flakes of rubble, the cleric tugging his robe as he found his center, before he was tormented by the threat of being swallowed by the earth as it seemingly came closer, the cleric falling on his hands and feet again in a final shudder, the rumbling in his ears coming to a stop.

"Great Flame?" He asked timidly as he stayed on his knees and hands, his limbs frozen in place from the shockwaves. Finding his courage the cleric lifted his head, unable to sense the presence in the air where the Great Flame once was, the cleric calling out the deity's name again as he felt dread creep up his spine. "Great Flame?"

" **I am here."**

The cleric turned around, his eyes wide with terror as a figure stood meters behind him, an imposing figure standing at 6'2 feet covered in a bright yellow set of gleaming steel armor, complete with a mask that depicted the sun with its rays spreading outward from the protective faceplate like serrated waves which continued to waver as if it were a mirage in the desert. Gasping in terror, the cleric almost fled from the place of worship however he was restrained by the figure who held up an armored gaunleted palm to stop him. **"Do not be afraid of me, Son of the Dark."**

"M-My lord, y-you are..." The cleric sputtered, unable to register the fact that the deity he had been praying to was standing in front of him in its full glory, the Great Flame's avatar staring at the altar.

" **The actions of the Dark cannot be ignored any longer. We have seen this, the rise of the Maidens who took on the power of Fire and gained immense power. We have thought that they would have been enough to turn the tide,"** the Great Flame walked over to the altar it's plated boots clacking against the marble floor barely flinching at the screech of steel scratching the marble sending sparks flying in the air. Reaching the altar's surface, the Great Flame laid its hand upon the altar, before it turned back to the cleric. **"Child of the Flame, the Dark Soul, do not despair any longer. For today your prayers shall be answered."**

Turning back towards the altar, the Great Flame's armored avatar placed both of its gaunleted hands upon the stone, resting it as it bowed its head the cleric standing behind curious as to what the diety would do. The man did not have to wait too long as he heard the avatar's voice boom across the sanctum. **"Our enemies have returned, stronger than ever. For too long we have waited, waited for the right opportunity, seen death, and have left the world who would come after us to reclaim the land for this eternal Age of Fire. Their Father has risen, the time of the Awakening is now."**

" **It is time for the purpose you abandoned long ago to return. Awake from your sleep, Lords of Ember."**

As soon as the words left the avatar's lips, the stone altar began to crack as if an unknown force had pressed the stone to its very limits, the cleric holding his breath as he eyed the Great Flame who began to channel what appeared to be light into the stone altar with great intensity, the avatar staring intently at the altar which was beginning to snap at its very molecular structure, focusing more of its power into the item as the cleric shielded his eyes at the initial blinding light before it died away, the brief flash stinging his eyes as the cleric wiped away the dust layering his face. The stone altar had been completely ripped asunder with no sign of the Great Flame anywhere in the sanctum, the cleric watching mouth agape as a black gauntlet and darkened arm rose up from the depths of the stone grave, the gauntlet's fingers reaching to grip a few loose stones from the desecrated slab finding a firm foundation as a tall dark figure began to rise from the smoke of the broken stone, the obscurity of the thick smoke hid the figure's physique. The large sanctum's air cackled with burnt flesh and the crisp ionization of the stale air thickening the scent, wafting in the room as the cleric looked on utterly stunned as the figure turned its shrouded head towards him evoking a tide of anxiety and fear, yet crippled him with awe at the immense power of Fire stepping through the fog. As he squinted, the man could barely make out a second figure who arose to stand from behind the main shadow, his eyes and gaping jaw ready to drop to the floor being the natural response to this phenomena.

"Oh my..." He could only utter as he heard the doors of the sanctum behind him creak open, the cleric spinning around to see a group of ten other monks in their friars' robes of cotton white fluttering with panic and anxiety all on their clenched and ragged expressions of weariness collectively panting, as one of them eyed the cleric. "Father, are you alright? We were praying in the cloister when the earth begin to tremble and we feared you would have been killed! Is the altar all right, are we-"

"Quiet, boy!" An elderly man from the group smacked the young cleric on his head, the elderly man pointing towards where the altar would have stood moments before its chaotic end. "Have you all have no eyes or ears to see and hear for yourselves?"

Seeing the monks look at the elder in confusion, the old man pointed towards the north where the belltower laid. "The chapless Bell of Awakening has tolled, the altar is gone! We are to bear witness to the Awakening of the Lords of old, the Lords of Embers have returned to walk amongst us!" Immediately the group of clerics burst into muttering, their voices falling silent when the sound of plates clacking on the ground made them aware of something else in the altar's place watching them with a curious stare. Eyeing the group of clerics who have congregated to witness the event of the marveling clerics was a male and female standing at 5'8 and 6 feet respectively, the latter looking past the man's shoulder staring intensely through dull emerald eyes absorbing what light was reflected off the glass onto her face, her expression neutral and mildly curious as light copper tinted hair glinted brightly in the sun's rays as an olive shaded outline could be traced from the aura enveloping her figure.

The man on the other hand was a fragile malnourished man in a set of rosy red robes two sizes too large for his figure, a bony and emancipated sunken cheeks beneath the rectangular cheekbone frames giving a sullen expression though his silver eyes were sharp and full of awareness, the man glancing at the roof of the sanctum and then at the broken stone at his feet. His left hand gripped a staff of twisted steel seemingly made in the image of bunched twisted reeds being melted together which branched into a crown of steel curved roots, leaning on the staff for support with the weight of his weak frame. The pair seeing the clerics' paused astonishment at their presence turned to one another, the two fixating their eyes upon the opposing party.

"My Lady, it has been too long since we have last met cordially." The man spoke first of the duo as he hugged his staff close to his chest but enough for him to lean forward on, a meek voice murmured at the woman who eyeballed him with the same empty expression before she cracked a thin smile, in both recognition and mixed curiosity.

"I could say the same of you, my lord. I expected us to have met for the last time at the Embers' Church where we ascended, but yet...what are we doing here?" The woman asked as she looked at the clerics who were staring at them, feeling discomfort as the titan of plated steel gave a cautionary glance. "Why do you stare at us so curiously, clerics?"

"I apologize to you on behalf of my wayward brothers, they do not respect the heroes of old in this day in age. It is good to meet you, Lords of Embers." The first cleric who had been praying at the sanctum immediately bowed his head speaking out for the group of stammering monks, followed by the rest of the friars who did the same, the monks out of reverance for the pair who looked on incredulously before the male spoke a little curious as to his whereabouts and caution towards them for speaking their titles.

"We are not in the same place where we have ascended, it seems...tell me, cleric, who are you and what is your purpose here? By whose authority have you been given the knowledge of our identities?" The man asked with an intensive stare, the head cleric shivering under the man's stare before he replied hastily keeping his head bowed while he wiped the awestruck look from his face."I am not surprised that you do not know anything about us, my lord. We are the Circle of Fire, a group of clerics who have lived in this sanctum in the years after you, the brave Lords of Embers, left the world to the care of the remnants of humanity. We were instructed by the Great Flame to guard this sanctum with our magic and lives since the Lords of Ember left the world to be governed by themselves with the final destruction of the Deep's worshippers of the Abyss, fighting back any intruders who would dare trespass this land to defend the last bastion of the old world from falling to the Dark and their worshippers."

"The Great Flame..." At this the man with the staff's face fell, his countenance becoming one of worry as he looked to the clerics. "If we are here...where's the Great Fire, did he summon us here?"

"I am...afraid so, Lord of Ember. The Great Fire appeared to me, and had rang the Bell of Awakening with a tremor of the earth which we had kept secure all these centuries ago." The cleric spoke bravely, seeing the troubled look on the Lord of Ember who then turned to address them leaning forwards with his staff laid upon his right shoulder. "The Bell of Awakening rang? That's impossible, the Bell hasn't rang for a long time...neither has it rung during our Age of Fire."

"It is as I have spoken, and it is the truth my lord," the cleric affirmed as he eyed the Lord of Ember with peace, the man's eyes flickering between confusion and thought before he spoke again, another question coming to his mind about the age where they have arrived. "And what of humanity, our inheritors, our successors to the thrones of the kingdoms? Have the Queens done as we have asked, has the Dark been banished in our name? What has happened in our absence from the world?"

The head cleric was clearly sweating slightly, attempting to formulate the words to speak in his mind before the female knight clamped a warm hand on the man's shoulder silencing him. "Lord Dusan, it is enough that you are curious about the current state of the world, but it would be more prudent if you are not so hasty in forcing the answers out of the cleric." She responded with a narrowed gaze at Dusan, the lean man holding his tongue for the cleric to follow with a weary tone.

"It...has not gone well, Lord of Ember. Apparently the darkness we had fought in the new world did survive the final assault on their keep, as you have believed before you retreated from the world when your power waned. They have waited, watched the world as the legends of your deeds and the young maidens whose powers you bestowed upon by your grace die away, now told as nothing but fairy tales and mere fables born from dogma."

Now it was when Dusan's look turned incredulous, his calm composure having cracks in his expression as he took in this information, the Lord of Embers unable to believe what had happened. "Impossible, we sealed the caverns with rock and soil, worshippers of the Dark should have died along with their precious idols and fragments. There should have been no trace, we made certain that the Dark could never rise again."

The head cleric sadly shook his head, the man walking past the two Lords of Embers as he eyed the stained glass window before him, his eyes gazing over the image of a knight in flames, holding his sword in a salute against his chest. "My lord...it is unfortunately not so. These recent years, our brothers have ventured out into the world, seen this with our very own eyes and ears as we made pilgramages to the kingdoms, intent on seeing your legacy continue. We too, after centuries of being apart from the world as we await the time where our duties would be finished for eternity, had entered with the hopes and desire to see the kingdoms ruling over the land. However, what we found has been nothing short of tragedy: kingdoms' rulers struck by indecision, fear, and corruption, the Dark embedding itself firmly in the forests, roaming free. The world is no longer the world that we have known since the last Age of Dark, and as the world moved on, so we and our kin once protectors were shunned, mocked, abandoned with the old world's carcass."

Dusan was clearly incensed, the man hugging the staff closer to his shoulder as he began to take a few steps forward, disbelief and despair riddled his features. "How did this come to be? We let humanity wrest control from our hands, giving them the authority and means to continue living in this eternal Age while we withdrew from the world, trusting them with the defense of their own realms. Our task was completed, our mission was done in those caverns. Is that what the descendants of our most trusted and loyal men and women could accomplish in their lives, that our efforts were for NOTHING?!" At this, the man hit his staff onto the floor sending out a burst of wind that swept across the feet of the monks who were left trembling at the raw display of power despite knowing that the Lord of Ember had contained most of his power and had suppressed it, the monks could feel the majority of the strike being restricted within his soul threatening to burst again.

"Peace, Lord Dusan...we should not antagonize our hosts any longer with your anger." The woman in the knights plate armor stilled her companion who was trembling in the grips of his catalyst, clearly distraught at the idea that the new age was being threatened again her eyes showing some light of compassion and comfort before she turned to the monks. "If what you say is true, cleric of the Inherited Fire, then tell me: where have you received the Great Flame's blessing upon your cloister?"

"We were apart of the former Church of the Deep in the old world, known to you as the once servants to the Lord of Cinder Aldrich. After the Age of Dark came, and the Fire died, we had split from the Church and came to Londo's cathedral seeking shelter. The Great Flame gave this responsibility to Houster, Bishop of the Seekers of the Dark, who formed the circle that you see before you," the head monk spoke for the group as they nodded the woman nodding in understanding. "I see, you have had quite the ardous task for all this time and are to be commended for both Houster's and your continued service to the Fire."

"We aim to humbly serve the Fire and their new descendants, this was the mission entrusted to us and shall continue until our line dies out," another cleric spoke from the group's cluster, the woman giving a smile of approval and acknowledgement at their loyalty, her attention returning to Dusan who had began to recover.

"If we are awake, Lord Dusan, this means that what we have feared has indeed happened. The Flame has awoken us to take up arms again, we shall have to fight once more against the forces of the Abyss...just as it was written when we sealed the pact." The female knight stated plainly for Dusan to remember, the man sighing as he ran a hand over his hair letting out a tired 'hmm' as the knight tried to assure him by rubbing his shoulder. "Lord Dusan, we need you focused, not in despair at what our successors have failed to accomplish in their lifetime."

"You're right, I've...lost my temper is all." Dusan muttered as he bowed his head, the man's thoughts suddenly halted when he looked behind at the knightess. "A moment, my lady, but are we the only ones here?"

"That's correct, it was just myself and...you." The knightess finished with a long pause, the two Lords of Ember looking around the sanctum before they looked at themselves.

"Wait, where's Lord Phjose?"

* * *

Elsewhere, Patch

"Haahhh!"

*Crack

The forest of trees shook with a mighty tremor as wind began to tear at the remaining leaves of the autumn trees, the force equivalent to that of a small controlled earthquake causing birds and various other critters to scatter from the general area where the wind and the ground had violently lurched several nests from their high posts, falling to the ground as eggs cracked prematurely the forest lively with a chorus of chattering of the animals who were smart enough to run.

The source of the thumping sound grunted deeply as a set of slender hands reached out and thumped the tree with its fist, a loud boom echoed through the small forest while the limb paused, the fingers releasing their clenched position as it clenched again, smashing into the bark of the tree with a crunch as the hard tree shook again this time with a tremor as more force was placed into the strike. There was a sigh, the fist retreating from its target as it was brought to a tanned brown skinned face with black crow eyes glancing at the pieces of bark and wood which was stuck to the back of the tanned figure's palm. Slowly, another set of fingers reached out and began to remove the bits and pieces which were embedded into his fingers the black pupils wincing at each extraction, carefully dropping the pieces as he stretched his fingers feeling a pop in his bones. The man patted down his hands on a rough black dyed pair of pants, the linked threads of his chainmail torso emitting a sound like shifting sand in a desert gale as he pulled the edges of a leather overcoat dragging it across his chest. The figure leaned back eyeing the branches above, his eyes focusing on the shining red gemstone just tucked away almost invisible to anyone due to the web of branches, the gleam of the stone continued to taunt his efforts. Tired, the man sighed wearily as he wiped his brow with the back of his unbruised hand, sitting on the floor with a loud 'fwhump', scratching his stubble as he flexed his fist the man shaking his head and arose, the man craning his neck as he drew back his fist up for another swing.

"Uuurragggh!"

*crack!

The man smirked as his fist smashed through the main trunk of the tree, a giant hole with his entire forearm sticking through its gut made visible as he heard the tree groan and strain its flesh greatly weakened by the mighty blow. Stepping back, the man could see the gemstone which was caught in the tree's branches begin to shudder, the tree leaning dangerously to the right as the remaining tendons of the trunk tried to hold the heavy weight of the tree as it began to strain, snapping as its structure began to fall apart. Watching, the man waited for the tree to begin its descent before he grabbed the rim of the tree, and with a heavy swing redirected the falling path of the tree to collapse onto the clearing below preventing any obstruction of trees patting his hands.

"Finally," he uttered as he stalked towards the broken branches, kicking aside the various twigs before he paused, kneeling down as he stepped onto a branch feeling it snap under his feet. Scanning the branches, he found his first prize, his lean hands reaching out as he slowly lifted the item revealed in the sunlight to be a leather witch hunter's hat, smiling as he began to pat the dust off the piece of headwear before he fitted it onto his head his fingers reaching out to touch the brim of the hat. Once he had done so, he looked further down the mess spotting the gleaming red gemstone sitting aside with its familiar uncut state, the man reaching out to grab the underside of the buried gemstone. The man withdrew his arm, bringing the gemstone up along with a grip of twisted oak and yew tendons bound together by five iron bands securing the grip in place at crucial points, the red gemstone beginning to gleam in the sunlight of shining crimson. The man grinned wider when he placed his second hand onto the warhammer, seeing the grip begin to glow with a glimmer of light, the light originating from the wood itself as it began to spread across the surface of the handle tracing out lines of symbols which ran the length of the warhammer, lighting up the man's eyes who reflected joy.

"Byelobog...it is good to have you with me once again, my old friend."

*crunch

The man in the witch hunter's hat turned around as a growl alerted him to his left flank, the man reacting quickly as he smashed the back of his fist into the mask of an Alpha Beowulf sending it tumbling from its pounce snatching the advantage of surprise as the Grimm growled at its perceptive prey, the leather clad fighter bearing the warhammer's gem mallet on the creature. Charging at the Grimm, he suddenly skidded to a halt for a second's pause waiting for the large creature to barrel towards him before he swung the heavy warhammer smashing the Grimm almost immediately when the creature passed right into his hammer's range, the impact causing the Grimm to burst into ashes upon contact the fighter placing his warhammer on his shoulder.

 _Ashes, this creature is just like the children of the Abyss all those centuries ago._ The man tipped his hat at where the Grimm had been, the fighter turning on his heel as he eyed the sea of red leaves and rain puddles left behind by rain, eyeing his surrounding carefully.

 _This was not what I imagined when I signed up for this._

* * *

Nearby, Ruby's home

In Vale, autumn was nearing its end, the trees that once held their red and orange leaves letting them float onto the muddy earth from constant rain was beginning to fade, as bare trees stripped of their leaves only branches like roots were present in the cloudy sky particularly off the coast of the continent where Patch laid resting alongside several smaller islands. The island laid off the coast of Vale, its own rich history still valued by the mainland such as being the holder of the Great Castle, a ruin believed to have been the residence of the Maiden of Summer or Spring during her reign over what was Vale or the infamous Tower of Visreal which was a fort overseeing the imprisoned and tortured enemies of the state, complete with its own Academy seperate from their more famous counterpart Beacon. Patch was quite a successful state of its own, creating its own stable economy from the limited space and becoming a powerful community responsible for a number of talented Hunters in Vale's ranks, thus earning a degree of seperation from Vale's actual Council to establish their own and sustain a military force. In this background of fallen leaves and dead trees, a single two floored house stood in the midst of this forest of trees distant from any civilisation giving privacy to withdraw from the outside world with a cleared out beaten dirt road for vehicles to access the estate still, a common site in the island of Patch save for the occupants who resided in this particular lodging.

Within the home on the second level near the stairs, Ruby sat in a chair within the silent hallway of her family home, staring at the closed door in front of her barricading her from entering, her fingers gripping the seat of the chair tightly with her fingers as she continue to eyeball the wooden barrier hoping that it would open with her mind while hesitance kept her from approaching the door after being told off for possibly sixth time she tried it, hoping for some answer from the occupant within. Slim pale white fingers from a lack of sleep and a layer of bags under her eyes distinguished themselves out of her regular features, the girl wearing a red buttoned blouse with two breast pockets while a pair of black pants were held in place by a large leather waist belt clasped over the bottom half of her blouse. The girl yawned, wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth during her nap, lowering the book onto the floor from her chest.

"Yang..." The girl could only utter, her guilt eating away at her subconscious thought, her silver eyes shimmering with forlorn hope that her sister was going to open the door. This behavior has been the routine for the past two months, with Dad and her trying to pull the family together while Uncle Qrow had been visiting to keep updating them on Vale and the state of the world outside beside the information given by Yang when she had woken up from her week of unconsciousness. She could remember the resentment that Yang had recalling Blake, the last thing she had heard before Yang secluded herself in her bedroom was Yang calling Blake a coward with no heart, and Ruby witnessed the amount of hurt Yang was put through by that one act of running away. Ruby could say nothing, she did not know Blake as closely as she should have been, even blissfully unaware that Blake hid her Faunus identity under layers of subterfuge when as a team leader, she could have been more perceptive about the anti-Faunus comments around campus. However Ruby saw Blake as a teammate, and though she did not feel the impact of what it must have felt for deep trust, she did feel confused about Blake's intentions. Her father had tried to talk to Yang, to get her to confide in him her personal issues, but to no avail despite his persistence.

"Let her figure it all out," was Uncle Qrow's seemingly nonchalant reply to her dad's protests and concern, but even Ruby could tell that Qrow was secretly worried for his niece's health. They all were, Yang had her own secrets hidden even from Ruby that she was uncertain of Yang many times, such as her adverse reaction to Uncle Qrow and her dad's old team.

The others fared no better. Team JNPR, upon the loss of Pyrrha their most capable and valued member, had been taken off active service effectively the equivalent of disbandment by the teacher council. General Ironwood on the other hand who Ruby did not see for the most part, was currently asked to report back to his superiors, the last Uncle Qrow had heard through his contacts he was to be suspended and face investigation for moving a large portion of Atlas military forces towards Vale. Professor Glynda had disappeared last seen trying to repair some of the damage when the hordes arrived, and so had Professor Ozpin in his duel with Cinder leaving the leadership of Beacon academy in shambles and the Huntsmen and Huntresses who attended it placed in their homes for further instructions from what was left of the teacher board.

Sometimes she could close her eyes in the night and see it happen all over again. The arena, the cheering crowds, the initial excitement in her face as she lit up with glee, the rest of her team at her side cheering on their friends and displaying their strength to a wide audience. She could remember Yang's injuring Mercury in his leg, the same boy who would have prevented her from getting in time to prevent the death of her friend Penny at the very hands of Pyrrha, blissfully unawares of the truth behind their combat ready enthusiast before the former was sliced apart by her own wires, the announcement by Cinder who smugly taunted the Atlas military's mistake for even attempting to converge their available forces to a Grimm onslaught which unfortunately she had heard from Qrow was very successful. Close to a quarter of Atlas' forces were placed at Vale and Beacon, the majority of which perished when they were fighting the Grimm and were overwhelmed along with Torchwick's sabotage of the master override key, turning the mechs against everyone and isolating the human soldiers who were promptly dispatched. The screams of terror, the dying, the looks of frozen fear when Atlas' robots turned on the students and citizens, mowing them down with their weapons...it was something no young girl, or anyone should have borne witness to.

And Cinder...hearing the name from her own mind made Ruby ball her hands as she tried to suppress the memory, the image of what she had done remained scarred in her mind. No matter how many times she wanted to avert her mind's eye and her physical vision from it, she could not forget Cinder's look of arrogant triumph when she fought against Pyrrha with her stolen powers from the Maiden that Ruby only knew through Qrow's explanation of what had happened when she had stumbled on the tower. She had gone towards the tower, intent on finding Jaune who had gone after Pyrrha when she saw the flashes of power booming across the sky, indicating that something was wrong. She ran up the wall, recalling how she was panting, holding onto the hope that the two of them would have been able to hold off whoever or whatever was up there.

Cinder killed her. She struck her ankle with a well placed arrow before another through Pyrrha's chest to kill her, and burnt her body completely into tiny balls of ember in front of her very eyes. Ruby felt more than just anger and the will to tear Cinder apart at her limbs, she was boiling with revenge towards Cinder that hearing her name from Qrow's mention of her fate atop the tower didn't ease the strangulation around her heart at seeing Pyrrha's look of despair.

Ruby dug her fingers into her palm, suppressing the memories as she tried to shift her focus elsewhere than the door in front of her, the girl picking up her book as she tried to read.

*Thwump

Ruby froze, her head turning to the left where she had heard the sound coming from beyond the house's walls, the girl jumping off her chair with her book clattering to the floor with a soft thump as she strained her ears in the direction hearing another loud thump for her surveillence, the girl looking back to Yang's room seeing no indication or movement of the door knob despite the noise.

"That's strange, Uncle Qrow and Dad have gone out today...no one should be home," Ruby wondered aloud to herself as she heard the thumping again, this time getting louder as a shockwave began to shake the house, along with a roar Ruby recognised.

 _A Grimm, here?!_ Ruby thought as she ran to her room, seeing Crescent Rose's folded sheathed form lying against the foot of her bed, the teen dashing out towards the hallway as her hand drew out to clasp the knob to Yang's room Ruby's protective instincts for her sister's safety prioritizing her first and foremost. "Yang-"

*Thump!

"GRRRAAHHH!" A loud yell could be heard before a loud quake shook the house, Ruby unable to react in time when the door knob turned while she was still holding onto it, the door opening wide dragging Ruby down with it as she stumbled nearly crashing into a blonde haired girl with amethyst eyes wearing a white set of pajamas with fire ball patterns all around the fabric, sending both girls sprawling onto the floor.

"Ruby, what's going on?!" Yang asked anxiously as Ruby pushed her head off her sister's body to look at her panicking as she held up the folded Crescent Rose in her hand jabbing an index at the direction of her room.

"Grimm, there are Grimm outside of the house!" Ruby shrieked as the ground shook once more, the teen yelping as her head was buried in Yang's bosom, the blonde pushing Ruby up with her only arm against Ruby's left shoulder keeping her sister steady. "Ruby, calm down."

"But we need to defend the house, I promised Dad that I would-"

Yang shook her sister before Ruby could finish her statement, giving her a steady glare at her younger sister which effectively silenced her as she spoke in a low commanding tone. "Ruby, stop. You're not thinking straight. You can't charge out screaming into battle by yourself." Ruby paused, her mind processing this before Yang looked at her bed, eyeing Ember Cecilia which laid upon the end table on the left, the blonde speaking again with an intense stare. "I'm going to go with you."

"Yang I don't think that's a good idea for you to be up and-"

"I'll be able to handle it. Beats me sitting in my room playing collateral damage while the house is being threatened by Grimm," Yang interjected firmly her narrowed eyes and stern demeanor through her pursed frown was a clear indicator that she wasn't going to back down, Yang lifting her right arm which held only a stump. "I may have lost my arm, but I still have one other good one left. You are not going to tell me to stay back and let our house get destroyed by some rabid Grimm."

Ruby said nothing, watching Yang push herself up with her arm to stand, the blonde going to Ember Cecilia as she reached out with her right stump,Yang freezing as she stared at her stump where her forearm and hand used to be before she turned back to Ruby who was up and waiting on Yang.

"Ruby," Yang called to her sister who looked at her keeping her anxiety on the low as Yang pointed to her right arm. "I need help."

Ruby's face fell, seeing Yang's expression turn from determination to a grimace, the teen immediately going over to fit the half of Ember Cecilia onto Yang's only attached limb, Yang saying nothing for the duration of watching Ruby struggle a little to fit the gaunlet onto her hand though Yang soon found herself equipped with the weapon, the silence did nothing to ease the blonde about her own permanent impairment. Ruby held Yang's hand in her own, the girl giving Yang an attempt of a reassuring smile. "We'll be fine, let's just go and kick some Grimm butt."

* * *

Outside Ruby's home, past the treeline

"HAH!"

The snap of bones like broken wood and torn tendons was all that echoed through the forest as the warhammer withdrew itself from its target to rest its head hanging at the back of the man in leather armor with black eyes, the latest victim being that of a large porcupine with bone covering its back and head along with its needle-like hairs wearing a mask, falling flat on its broken hind legs which had been bent sideways the creature's relentless nature demanded it to fight its crippled state to little effect. The Grimm porcupine made less than half a step before it fell again, this time unable to get up as a red gemstone smashed through its mask ending its life as it burst into ash. The leather armored figure let out a narrow stream of warm air from his nose, his chest heaving lightly while he looked at the clearing.

 _Where in the whole of Anor Londo am I?_ The warhammer wielder thought as he studied the open ground, unable to find any distinguishing features to tell him where he was.

 _If I am here, Lord Dusan and Lady Altansarnai are awake too, but where are they?_ He walked steadily towards the treeline, spotting a small dirt path as he pushed through the forest to land on the beaten path, his eyes looking right. Almost immediately, he spotted a small wooden gate around the lower chest height just above the waist, reaching out a hand to push the gate which creaked inward opening the way for him. _Lodging must be nearby._

Locking the gate behind him, the man continued on his path, stopping when he heard a small voice sound to his right alerting to the direction of the clearing.

"Ruby, the clearing's been torn up...someone was here." The man heard the first voice speaking, female as far as he could tell, the name Ruby also pointing towards a second female with her. Tugging his coat, he kept his warhammer lowered the gemstone carved head pointed at the ground as he took a few steps closer, unbothered to disguise his steps as he loudly stepped on what fallen branches and leaves he could find on the way to signal his arrival.

"Wait, did you hear that?" The second female, Ruby, asked as he picked up a small rock, throwing it against the bark fo a nearby tree attracting their attention while the fighter picked his advantage. "Stay behind me, Yang."

"Not because I have one arm?" Yang replied, a bitter raw emotion of frustration and restraint picked up in her tone which both parties picked up.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Ruby protested weakly as the white haired man kept his back against the tree bark, hearing the breathes draw closer eventually a flutter of red could be seen out the corner on the right, the leather clad soldier risking a closer look from his hiding spot. Poking his head out, he could see the voices' owners clearly in the daylight spotting the girl who had last spoken dressed in a red blouse and a pair of black pants, wearing a pair of slip on shoes kneeling to pick up the pebble. The first voice he had heard as 'Yang' was right behind her, a large messy unkempt head of golden yellow locks paired with a set of amethyst eyes glowered even amongst the mostly obscured rays of light, the forest giving off a captivating aura though the man did resist the urge to compliment. Not that she was unattractive, but he had seen maidens his age exceeding in beauty compared to this 'Yang', though he could tell that she could rival those maidens in given time. The man shook his head, remembering what he was here for as he took a step out of from behind the tree, making himself known while he called out to the girls.

"Excuse me, young maidens, could you please help an old weary traveler?"

End

* * *

Author's Notes: Not the best introduction chapter I could have done, but I think it isn't the worst. Before I just call it a day, I wanted to let you guys have a headsup about this particular fanfic.

I do appreciate notifications if I do mess up the lores of RWBY and Dark Souls, and appreciate your correction as the story progresses along as planned. I have been trying to focus more on the personal life to sort out whatever that needs to be sorted, so there will be times I would be unable to recall facts or established lore, even 'fancanon' that may upset people if it does happen.

I also am hoping to do a better job at improving my writing skill, so chapters at certain points will be long, I'm hoping to put a word limit for myself so you don't waste so much time on 15,000 word documents, with 300 words talking about a man's dick or something ridiculous like that. I would appreciate your honest opinion, I mean the 'I think this paragraph uses some work' than the usual 'Suck my dick, you OC Jane Doe writer' to gain more insight into how my work appears to you.

Besides the few things outlined, I hope this fanfic will work out better, even surpass my previous works in some shape or form. Here's to a long, fruitful story. And also finishing it.

Have a great day,

VI


	3. Chapter 3

RWBY: Age of Fire and Dark

Author's notes: Hi guys, sorry for the long delay. I had assignments and multiple things to focus on which slowed the production of this chapter. But that's over, here it is.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Souls and RWBY, they are owned by Fromsoftware and Monty with co respectively.

* * *

 **Aura has been with us for centuries now, since the legends of the Maidens and the gift to humans who have shown an affinity for the soul to be used practically. However, we have yet to find out more about our history, what made us so powerful that we were able to drive the forces of Grimm back into their hovels and into the forests where our new battleground lies. No answers are concrete or confirmed, neither are the theories being formed at the moment to properly explain exactly what it is that Aura's true capabilities originate from.**

 **However, Aura is the physical manifestation of the soul, that is the basic foundation on which theory can be built upon and perhaps the answers are closer than we think they are. We are discovering and consistently changing our views on what we understand, compared to our ancestor's understandings back then to see what our history speaks about Aura and Semblence.**

 **-extract from a lecture about Aura**

* * *

 **Two more have joined us. A woman and man, brother and sister of similar date of birth. They entered our sanctum, determined to have us commit them as members to the Lords of Embers. Me, Phjose, and Altan decided to let their weapons prove their skill to us. Even if we aren't completely powerless, we are not so willing to turn anyone away from joining us as valuable members to protect humanity while our powers remain relevant.**

 **They displayed their powers to me and Phjose in a sparring match, though we won I was taken by surprise at the tenacity and teamwork of the twins. They were able to rival me and Phjose's teamwork which took at least a few months due to my earlier recklessness and attachment to Lady Altan, though I suspect it is attributed to being twins.**

 **Lady Altan shared her own observations about the match with me as well, and what she tells me is insightful. According to her, she noticed that the brother displayed reckless movement though that weakness was covered by his sister, whenever he made a charge his sister would attempt to move back to fire off spells or even assist him in wiping out his target. While a warrior would say to know their opponent through battle, it is not as easy when one is pressured by their opponent in close combat where thinking or a moment's hesitation can change the course of a battle. Only through my discipline and Lord Phjose's experience were we able to coordinate and strike through their assault breaking their momentum despite heavy resistance. All in all, they are determined to join us and I appreciate their support.**

 **However, privately, our situation couldn't be further from the truth. In all honesty, the world has begun to move on from our influence, humanity has decided to march ahead of us while we sit in our keep, our immortal bodies committed to the Eternal Fire being our only barrier from crossing into the afterlife. Soon, we will become as irrelevant as the sand on the beach shores, left to memory, never to rise. As if our problems cannot be worse, we have deceived the public into believing that the Old One was slain, when there was no viable solution open to us...and have with reluctance banned the soul arts from the kingdoms. This has served as further warning, that our power to kill the physical gods of old have waned. I fear not of death, not of humanity's future, nor of the world's state but I do fear one thing.**

 **I fear that we will never be able to protect this world in our lifetime much longer.**

 **-from the journal of Lord Dusan, de facto leader of the Lords of Embers**

* * *

 **Continuing the archaeology of the ruins in Vacuo have lent much progress, as we study and try to fend off the Grimm from further desecration of the damaged ruins has tired our Hunters who are working on constant rotating shifts of six hours with the military providing backup. It's good, we need all the help we could get in hastily extracting all we can from this piece of history before the Grimm come back in force.**

 **Recently our team had shipped all of our discoveries to the labs in Atlas at a later date, and we were about to move on to the next largest section of what appeared to be a large complex when our excavation equipment hit something else in the old dug out section. Curious, I and a few others with a small portion of the defence force and diggers stayed behind to dig up what the last excavator had found before we would take it over. What we found was something more precious than any money in this world.**

 **On it we found a tablet which was etched in the old language similar to that of the tiny obelisk found years back depicting the Great Flame, in fact a coffin worth of text that was surprisingly well preserved in stone depicting mentions of chronicles which existed before the Maidens in great detail. The first tablet, which was currently the only one translated to our team, gives this hint towards us:**

" **These chronicles have fallen upon my shoulders to write, for Man have once again forsaken their Fire forged masters and have sought the Dark for help. This has led to their ruin once, the repeating of history coming to swallow us whole as mistakes of the past are returning from their grave, stirring them awake to the consequences of their actions. I write these texts that you may understand and read them, future descendants of humanity, read them to gain the knowledge that I have gained and question the nature of the soul and its intended state."**

 **This piece of text translated gives some insight into the society of old, but what does the author mean by the state and knowing the true nature of the soul? I'll discuss this once we have seen what the rest of the tablets have to offer.**

 **-journal of an archaeologist**

* * *

Elsewhere, Vale forest

Blake Belladonna opened her eyes, small arteries clinging to her amber eyes which glowed an eerie yellow in the thick shade of the tall trees which littered the eastern side of Atlas's great forests as she rose from her sleep. Tossing her blanket aside, the Faunus wiped her eyes as she stretched her arms which popped in succession from the strain of her back and arms that were sleeping in the wrong place. Losing the comfort of the bed bunk back in Beacon was a small luxury that Blake missed sometimes, though as she looked at the somber silence of the early morning, Blake felt more at ease than being contained within four large walls. Blake patted her hair, searching for any kind of leaves, dirt or grime in her hair which may have settled in for the night as she felt the cold unforgiving touch of morning dew against her back through the mat's thick coverage.

"Ugh…" Blake looked to her shoes which had been left outside from her sleeping mat, noticing the wetness from the dew staining the boots as she wiped her eyes feeling her tiredness and the warmth of her sleeping mat luring her back to sleep. Shrugging it off as she slowly moved her leg towards the mat, the chill of the autumn morning nearly forced her back into the mat to sleep as she shivered, reluctant to cling to the heat which was dissipating from the thrown blanket.

 _Come on Blake, get up. You need to keep going, it's been two months and you don't have much time,_ Blake urged herself onward as she wiped her forehead, raven-black locks messy and unkempt without much places to shower within the vast forest combined with accumulated sweat for the past two weeks.

Blake felt guilt run through her emotional mind, remembering what had happened months before. The Vytal festival was in full swing as the tournament went by, Blake herself had completely forgotten about Adam pursuing her, focused on taking down his henchmen and sabotaging his operations. For once she felt a sense of peace in her mind compared to her tense, paranoiac life in the White Fang's ranks with teammates that she called friends along with team JNPR, the group of four had quite the personality that got along with her team's quirks.

Alas, that bubble of safety and the illusionary world she had entered into lasted only mere days. Blake had sensed something was rather off when the festival had started, the peace and obliviousness to the world's problems for just a few days was already unsettling to Blake who knew that the White Fang wouldn't sit on their hands even if Roman Torchwick, their human partner was captured after the stunt with the train and blowing a hole in Vale's defences to allow the Grimm in. While they had plugged the problem, the event struck Blake harder as it showed that whoever that helped Roman and the White Fang proved to be a cunning adversary, poking and prodding at various weak points before the final fatal blow. But even with this possibility, the evidence was too scarce to provide leads, and headmaster Ozpin had also taken charge over the investigation due to the severe compromise of Vale's security, effectively taking Team Rwby and Professor Oobleck out from further investigation into the matter.

Either way, regardless, the festival started to have disasters. The first was Yang's injury of Mercury's leg in the duels, followed by the death of Penny by Pyrrha's polarity Semblance which had become the last straw when the perimeter of the academy was breached despite heavy Atlas resistance against the Grimm hordes, the result being an all-out battle for survival than the last few times they had faced the Grimm. The battle was heavily one sided, it was as though all of their acquired skill had been pointless in the face of the overwhelming odds as older experienced Grimm swarmed in, replacing the grunts with their elite pushing back the severely undermanned force to the docking pads where she last saw them. Then she had wandered into the burning school canteen, trying to look for Yang. That was where she met the last person she expected to see in the thick of the action, standing in front of the flames with a patterned Grimm steel facemask, black clothes and deep vermillion blood hair.

Yang's severed arm and unconscious form when she left the girl in the care of Nora and Lie Ren at the transports appeared in her mind, Blake growling as her mood began to sour the Faunus punching her sleeping mat with as much force as she could muster in her half-awake state. Try as she might have to stop Adam he had opted to take his anger out on Yang rather than directly harm her himself, because Yang had to coincidentally encounter her and Adam…because Yang was willing to defend her from harm she leapt in front of Adam to take his head. Yang was a tank, a hard hitter who could dish out equal or severe punishment to those brave enough to fight her head on, but Adam was faster and his reflexes honed to complete mastery.

Yang paid more than she could ever possibly expect that day, and Blake in her weakness knew that whatever she had accomplished was all for nothing when she saw Yang hit the floor unconscious from the shock. Blake promptly snatched her away and brought her to the Bullheads, telling Nora and Lie Ren that she would come back for Yang before she ran off. Blake could barely keep her composure from breaking once she was out of their line of sight as she zipped up the rooftops and took flight, all her pretences and stoic demeanour fell apart to give way to tears. Not once did she even bother to look back or consider Yang as she sped off, even when she noticed the hordes of Grimm swarming in numbers to engulf the area Blake consciously blinded herself to the unfolding reality.

She knew the reason why she chose to flee, and not stay and fight alongside the others, even consciously knowing that she had an obligation to defend Beacon and Vytal being a Huntress. Blake scoffed at the title, she was no Huntress. Ruby, Yang and Weiss…they were more ready to stand to face the assault head on, but she had instead cowered the moment Adam showed up in that burning canteen and crippled Yang and forced her to flee when her team needed one more Hunter to defend the remaining transports.

She was a coward.

When she left Adam Taurus to Vale, she had known Adam wouldn't follow her, much less even bother himself with finding out where she had gone. She honestly went into Beacon and enrolled herself as a student because she wanted to train, find another path but also because she was scared. Scared not of anything else but Adam's obsessive nature, his ceaseless pursuit of the equality for Faunus that he desired had taken every second of his life day by day, and the anger and frustration at delays to his vision were met with often violent repercussions enforcing the will of the new leadership. Staying with the White Fang, watching their descent to their degenerative state of violence over gaining trust and cooperation of local authorities, the pressure of even staying in her assigned room didn't give any peace like it used to. She cut herself off from the organisation, and going to Vale seemed like the best idea out of the kingdoms for any shot of living a normal life without anyone digging.

During her stay she gained many things the White Fang used to have: friends who looked out for her, teammates who didn't care or at least in Weiss' case tolerated her identity as a Faunus and a feeling of belonging. Those things made her remember how far the White Fang's changes had taken them far from the understanding and trust they used to have, or the friendly relations with the humans they once enjoyed. To be listened to, to have their proposals considered in some way…those days of idealism was worth all the effort.

Blake paused while she rolled up the mat tying the string into a secure knot while she was pre-occupied with all of this, a whirlwind of emotions in her mind. Would it have been any different if she actually stayed back at Vale, with Yang and Ruby tending to her partner while their enemies basked in their victory? Could she have found a better way while staying by her friends?

Blake suppressed those trips in her subconscious, she had already made her choice and the consequences that came with it. Did she feel guilty? Yes, she had left her own friend and her partner, someone she promised to watch their back in everything, and she was the one who drew the knife and stabbed Yang in the back. If Yang would punch her, she would allow it. She had a plan, admittedly it was hasty and a large patchwork full of holes and pitfalls, but if she followed through she could take steps to dismantling the White Fang from the outside and slowly work towards the source. Adam was a frightening opponent, but he wasn't just the only ringleader in charge of the new incarnation of the organised terror group.

 _A White Fang base out in an old ruin sounds like those treasure hunting movies,_ Blake thought as she reviewed the information in her head, acquired from a helpful White Fang soldier whose transport she had infiltrated for supplies and tools on the way to Atlas, their intent to resupply one of their outposts which had coincidentally been involved with multiple civilian attacks within the city. According to the information, he had been tasked with delivering a few boxes after his run to Atlas towards a remote base dedicated towards Faunus history, said to have found something that could point to ancient knowledge. What it was, the soldier wasn't able to explain, however if she knew anything about the White Fang it was that they weren't ones to chase leads without a reason.

Stuffing her mat atop of the sealed backpack, as well as removing the food cans into a plastic bag which hung at the side of the backpack, Blake lifted the pack swinging the heavy load over her shoulder the girl leaning to compensate the weight as she tested her movement. Satisfied, she took out a folded map of the forest, looking at the points marked out.

* * *

A short distance from Blake

Three trees behind Blake, watching her pack up her camping equipment to set off for the next step on her journey, a pair of figures intently observed the Faunus with great interest with the shadow of the tree's canopy covering the entire area in a black spot and the pair from visibility of the naked human eye.

"Brother, I spy with my little eye...someone who isn't an Abyssal Child."

The second figure sagged its shoulders upon hearing the giggling female beside him, barely able to contain herself as it turned its head towards her, speaking in a male voice deadpanned and devoid of emotion. "You are blind, Sister. You can't spy with any eye."

The girl gasped, clutching her heart as she heard his factual statement feigning being hurt by his comment. "Of course I can, Brother! It's called perception."

"Your perception caused us to encounter that cave of creatures in the first place. Adding to that, why are you being the guide instead of me?" The brother asked his sister with indignation at being left out, his sister chuckled at his prickly nature, prodding his shoulder with a pointed finger. "Admit it my dearest sweetest brother, I may be blind and my perception a little unfocused from our longest sleep, I have already proved myself capable. Remember the time you were lost in that god awful forsaken bog, with the heavy fog and those creatures leaping out at you every corner? You certainly were a brave knight without my assistance or my complimentary magic or sense of direction, weren't you?"

"Direction, you say? Might I remind you that you had run on ahead laughing and traipsing around, reckless as always, attracting every demon to our presence?" The male folded his arms, the female smirked at him with a ghostly smile, the male shaking his head as he turned his attention to the forest beyond Blake's camping spot.

"I remember the situation very differently, brother." She smirked, clearing her throat as she did a gruffer manly voice adding a feminine squeal. "Oh sister, sister! Don't leave me here with big bad Garland and his demon babies, my muscles can't save me without your magic! They're grabbing my legs! Wah, Waahh!"

"It wasn't like that! Garl had me off guard, and I was busy trying to hold them off while you ran off ahead to do who knows what without telling me about the plan!" The male retorted sharply, cheeks flushed with embarrassment as his sister's grin just grew wider, almost to the edge of laughter as she snorted at his bravado, the male stomping his feet on the ground feeling his embarrassment get bigger. During this time the twins spotted Blake turning her head towards them, the twins staying silent as they both vanished into the shadows watching Blake scan the perimeter of her camping spot. A few tense seconds passed before Blake turned back to the path in front of her, the Faunus setting off on her journey to the unknown.

"Aw, is my baby brother sad that Garl kicked you around the valley and back? Does he need a tissue for his tears?" The woman said mocking her sibling, her male counterpart growing red with fury as he turned away, intent on not letting his anger satisfy the woman's taunts. "You…you know what, forget it. I am not wasting my time playing any more games with you. We have yet to meet up with Lord Dusan and the others. They must be worried that we aren't with them when we landed…wherever we are right now. We have not time to waste with a stranger."

"Hold on a moment, dear brother." His shoulder was gripped in a vice, feeling his bones creak as the hand dug into his skin causing him to freeze up. "We have been wandering the forest for hours without finding a single trace of where we were due to our memories being too old to register the old sites we used to visit, and I much prefer someone than just the two of us. Three is a crowd, as travellers use to say."

"You wish to interact with her?" He spoke doubtfully eyed the female, noting her agile and weak figure which lack any sign of strength or endurance as he shook his head in utter refusal. "She looks like she couldn't stand a chance against a group of undead if it came down to it."

"But think about it, brother…she's outside of the borders, of all places that humans could choose as the road less travelled. That earns points for bravery but also provides an opportunity for the both of us to reacquaint ourselves with this world." She reminded her brother, giving him a knowing glance when she saw the latter opening his mouth as if to speak before he closed it.

The male sighed as he held up his hand to stop his sister from speaking another word, reluctantly conceding to her with a heavy sigh. "You do not need to say more, sister. I already understand the value of a companion of the current era. However just because a human has dared to venture out into territory of the demons, it doesn't make her an immediate knowledgeable sort much less purposeful when camping so dangerously close to your potential killers. If anything, she could be as lost as we are…or simply raving mad."

"Stop your presumptions brother. She might be in more need of assistance than we do. And the more we waste time debating about which path to take, the longer Lord Dusan and his companions will be delayed waiting for us."

"So you say, but I still do not think this is a wise approach," the male spoke with a thoughtful voice, sighing as he lowered his shoulders in concession with his sister's argument. While he held suspicion for a human wandering the deep forests, the new undiscovered world had many possible paths and too many vague theories for the human girl's presence here. Hearing his vague uncertain reply, the woman pouted before she walked ahead of the man the latter only noticing her three steps in as he followed closely behind at a slow pace, lifting a thin barely visible item in his hand.

"If we are to trail after her, Sister we should not be so far behind. The creatures of the Abyss and those demons share this place with us," he advised as he kept his guard up the pair keeping themselves invisible to the girl, following her deeper into the belly of the forest.

* * *

With Yang and Ruby, Patch

"Would you be so kind as to help a wandering weary traveller?" Yang and Ruby jumped at the voice, both girls getting into a ready stance as a tall lean figure of 6 feet dressed in a leather jacket over a chainmail torso which was buttoned secured by baggy pants topped with a witch hunter's hat stepped out from a nearby tree, fingers tipping his hat as he heaved a large warhammer the likes of which both girls have never seen.

"Who are you, and what are you doing near our house?" Yang asked, her fist cocked back as she looked ready to leap at the man should he attempt to swing the heavy hammer toward them, though the newcomer wasn't tense in the slightest from the threat of both experienced Huntresses before him.

"Me? You may call me Phjose, and I was seeking help from anyone who was living in this forest." The man introduced himself with a light bow of his head, the man setting his warhammer onto the ground, the resulting impact shaking the earth with a shake as both girls nearly hopped into the air Ruby barely able to keep herself from flying due to her light weight landing on her feet with jitters down her legs.

"Seeking help?"

"Yes, I…" Phjose paused, his hand over the back of his head. "This is rather embarrassing to admit but I am lost. You see, I was trying to find something of mine and tracked it down here when I realized that I didn't know the way back, thank the Fire you two came here when you did!"

"You were finding something…what was it?" Ruby asked resisting her eyes from focusing on the warhammer of gleaming ruby red.

"Well," the man grabbing Byelobog as he swung the warhammer upwards, pointing the head of the weapon in the air. It was when he looked down noticing the females about to pounce on him, Phjose immediately lowered the warhammer down in its previous location to prevent any unnecessary provocation on his side. "I came here to find this, my partner and eternal companion Byelobog."

Yang's left eyebrow made a skeptical arch at his weapon, noting the simplicity of the weapon. "A warhammer? You came out all this way to get a warhammer?"

Phjose narrowed his eyes into squinted glares of inner conviction, his earlier demeanour changed upon hearing the girl's inability to comprehend the loss of Byelobog. "My weapon is my companion, my means to protect myself. Without Byelobog at my side, not only would I be dead, but I would have lost someone who I treat like a brother." Patting the weapon on its red gemstone head, the man glancing at the gleaming ruby stone.

"Fair enough."

Ruby blinked, immediately connecting the dots in her mind upon seeing the warhammer at his side and the broken trees in the clearing. "So you were the one who messed up the clearing back there?"

"Aye, those creatures found me in the middle of their hunting ground, defenceless as I was, and tried to hunt me down. Without Byelobog I cannot fight them toe to toe with the same tenacity that they were showing me." Phjose told the pair, letting his arms hang loosely at his sides feeling his muscles strain from having centuries of no exercise, the sudden weight of holding Byelobog after such an extended period without training made him wince. "So, how did you managed to find me?"

"You were fighting just outside our home, so when we heard the growls we just came out to fight back but instead we found the massive damage to our backyard and went back to the trail." Ruby explained for him as Phjose let out a small 'oh' before he looked back at the treeline, and back to the pair. "I see. I apologize for messing up the trees."

"It's fine, but having Grimm this close…this has never happened before." Yang mulled over this worried at the implications for such an attack close to home. With the Vytal disaster and the Vale Council trying to stem the news from leaking to the public to prevent mass panic the Grimm had been using the despair of the students and the citizens emboldening their assault on nearby Vytal port towns over the following months. Patch as a whole had to lend their military support, which in turn has led to a tension across the island at the sobering news that Vytal and Beacon were on their death throes as a human settlement from the refugees.

"This is getting out of control, the people of Vytal are losing their homes, and we stay cooped up in our rooms, unable to fight back while our teachers fight for us."

"The cost of a tragedy provides extreme caution." Phjose simply stated, catching the attention of Yang as he looked sombre with barely lit eyes. "But you are a little young to be talking of going to war."

"We're Huntresses, not part of the military…we can fight on our own terms." Yang replied to his term of address, raising her hand to punch it into her non-existent arm, the girl not realizing it until she looked at her arm hanging out hitting air as Yang lowered her bandaged stump along with her remaining arm at her side. Phjose opened his mouth in understanding, the man nodding at the familiar word. "I see…but calling on Huntresses? To call upon food gatherers to act as a militant force is rather uncanny."

"That's because we're not those kind of hunters, silly! We're official Huntsmen!" Ruby shouted brightly as Phjose could only give a blank stare, Ruby looking at Phjose with an expectant look in her eyes as she leaned towards him her elbow almost close to nudging him. "You know, the special Huntsmen, who fight the evil Grimm? Saving the kingdoms from being overrun, the first line of defence besides the military…?"

Phjose almost winced at Ruby's high pitched voice dragging a soft 'eehh?' at the end of her sentence, the girl nudging him again with an elbow as he slowly blinked. "I do not follow."

"Wait a minute, this can't be right." Yang broke her silence, her hand holding the side of her head as she looked at the man's youthful features. "Have you been taking anything funny, sure your mind is in the right place?"

"I'm sure. I've…been isolated from human society for a long time, you could say that I've grown up without knowledge of this new world." Phjose muttered awkwardly at the pair, his expression becoming troubled at the mixed interpretations he was getting from both girls who had their jaws open, Ruby closing her mouth as she looked incredulously at Phjose. "Are you joking? You don't look that old, you look about as young as our dad! You should have at least heard or know about Huntsmen, they've been around for like since, forever!"

"I…I humbly apologize, young lady but from where I come from, the only hunters in my town were food gatherers. I have not heard of such a type of warrior outside of where I live entitled this way." Phjose spoke truthfully as Yang and Ruby blinked, seeing the disparity in his interpretation turning to look at one another.

"Uh, sis, could I just take you aside for one second?" Yang said as she gave an awkward smile to Phjose as she swung her sister around. "Ruby, is it me or is this guy a little too strange? He doesn't know what a Huntress is."

"Maybe he's one of those senile men from the movies?" Ruby suggested as they both heard a cough from behind them. "I mean he doesn't look like he's lying about it."

"Doesn't make this situation any less discomforting, Rubes." Yang deadpanned, her arm holding her sister closer in a tighter lock as Ruby gagged a little at the applied force. "Look, the thing is, this guy looks really shady and he just pops out of nowhere without any knowledge of what a Huntress is. Do you think he's been taking…something?"

"Lost or not, we can't leave him out here confused by himself. And he looks genuinely confused." Ruby pointed out as Yang hesitated. "We're Huntresses, we may be grounded students, but we have a responsibility to help others. Just this once, sis?"

Yang still did not look convinced, the blonde looking at her missing limb. "I don't know about this…"

"It'll be fine, Yang. Just trust me on this." Ruby pleaded with Yang, the girl giving the close combat specialist the doe eyes, Yang trying to tear her eyes away from the deadly gaze feeling her hesitation melt away. "Okay, fine we'll do it your way. But you better give a good explanation to Dad when he and Uncle Qrow gets back, I don't want the house to be set on fire from any resulting chaos Dad might think of."

Ruby nodded, looking back to see Phjose tending to his hammer with great care, the man procuring a whetstone as he stroked the edges of the hammer before he noticed Ruby's presence behind him. "If you wanted to let me leave, you can simply tell me. I was planning to move on to the closest town."

"Don't worry about that, me and my sis had a talk and we'll be taking you to our home to rest up."

"I…see. Thank you, young lady. Your generosity and understanding do you credit," Phjose stated simply his face not betraying his surprise at the decision to let him join them. _Perhaps this journey may not be so difficult for an old relic such as I._

"This is great that we're not kicking each other's teeth in, but...you smell like you just came out of the sewer," Yang stated as she gestured at Phjose, noting the worn weathered leather armor which was starting to give off a pungent smell which had wafted over to the pair's noses as they were taking a step back from him pinching their noses to cut off the smell, the traveller sniffing the air before he looked at his leather. "Oh, my apologies. It appears that the leather was too worn from age and I may have fallen into a nearby pond while I was searching."

"Well it's not going to do any good if your smell gets in the way. Come with us, we'll get a bath for you before you answer our questions." Yang spoke as she walked out of the treeline and onto the small path towards their house, looking back at Phjose who picked up his warhammer swinging it over his shoulder as he began to walk behind her, Phjose taking a few steps before he felt someone poking his shoulder. He glanced over to Ruby who was sporting a very wide grin.

"So," Ruby piped in as her eyes began to hungrily gaze upon Phjose's warhammer, her eyes gleaming with a barely obscured obsessive glint in reflected mercury silver orbs. "Can I touch your warhammer for a bit?"

"No."

* * *

Yang and Ruby's home, a few minutes later

"Here's our home." Phjose nodded, staying a considerable distance from the pair while he waited for them to open the lock only going in when they gestured toward him giving him permission to enter. As he did, Phjose looked at his chainmail which was covered with dirt, mud and moss along with the rusted stains on the once well maintained set of protection, the man scowling at the once durable and workable leather armour rotting away like an artefact.

 _So the Great Flame revives me, but he can't give my body a decent wash or tend to my armour for all this time,_ Phjose thought bitterly as he began removing the leather jacket Ruby bringing out a large net-fitted plastic laundry basket with a shaded blue setting it beside him to rid himself of the mess. Giving his thanks the man removed his chainmail and his jacket revealing a simple greying waistcoat with a white shirt, the piece of fabric feeling thinner as Phjose noticed that along his waistcoat were several moth eaten bites furthering his scowl. _And he forgets about my attire as well, the next time that I see him again in his shiny new armour I will crack that helmet off his face._

Looking up, he explored the spacious room he had entered. A set of seats, strangely full of fur and connected at the ends to make a near perfect 90-degree angle while a rectangular metal item with an abyssal window of darkness was nailed to the wall, the purpose of the contraption intriguing the man nearing his 30's as he noticed long black items with various colour coded buttons, his eyes tracing it to the strange nailed metal board. Aside from the curious additions to the living room, he could spot many similarities such as a square table with chairs serving as the dining place with a separation for what appeared to be the kitchen which looked cleaner and more unique than the past. Phjose couldn't help but emit a silent chuckle to himself, marvelling the vast changes in the construction of the rooms. _Humanity certainly have improved the living conditions of the lodging since I have left, still this is a lot to take in for being asleep for centuries of succession._

Ruby looked at Phjose who seemed lost, the girl noting his blank expression as he stared at his surroundings. Ruby plopped onto the couch, looking back at Phjose who was still entranced by the television set in front of him. "Would you like to sit down?"

"I don't think so. Besides, your sister was rather adamant about touching anything…" Phjose started reluctantly, Ruby waved his concern away patting the couch. "It's okay, the couch should be just as fine as any place than standing around. Besides, you're our guest, and you should have a seat."

"I thank you," Phjose said dusting the couch as he sat down, surprised at how comforting it was accommodating for his butt. "This is very squishy." _Almost like the overgrown obese mountains of meat I fight, without the grotesque consequences._

"I know right? It's just the softest. So," Ruby began awkwardly a stray finger twirling her locks of hair. "You looked kinda confused staring at the television. I take it you aren't used to seeing stuff like this where you come from, huh?"

Phjose paused, giving another peek around. "I have to say I'm rather breathless, this wasn't anywhere close to how I imagined a home to be. My home is very…archaic in comparison to this."

"You'll get used to it, and you have us to help you out. So where exactly on Patch did you stay?" Ruby asked curiously, Phjose scratching his chin as he tried to give a convincing answer. "Northwest I believe it was according to my parents, I never took up navigation as a skill."

Ruby smiled, accepting his answer as her attention drew towards his hammer, the girl leaning forward to see Byelobog against the wall. "Byelobog…what's with all of the red in that hammer?"

"This, is made from red Titanite combined with the normal steel." Phjose heaved Byelobog from its position on the wall, letting Ruby have a glance as the girl let out a 'oooh' upon seeing it glow. "Red Titanite, what's that?"

"A rare ore, this warhammer was the only one of its kind." Phjose explained as he let her touch the ore, Ruby feeling a strange warmth emitting from the warhammer. "It feels…strangely warm. What kind of ore is this?"

"It has unique properties, perhaps I'll let you see just what Byelobog can really do in future combat, I'll assure you that this here," Phjose tapped the head of Byelobog with upmost confidence, "is a terror to those who dared cross our path."

"Bath's being drawn out, but we need to get rid of those…things that you call clothes. I managed to pick out something from Dad's drawer to make things simpler since you were rather slim," Yang called out as she walked into the living room, interrupting his talk with Ruby, holding a clothes hanger from her index, where a set of clothes were levitating from the ground. Phjose having a stoic serenity on his face while he glanced at the claw sticking out of the neckline choosing to answer cautiously. While the girls were kind enough to give him lodging and centuries ahead of him in technology and the world, he was cautious. During the time when he was still alive, the Lords of Embers were people who embodied many things: heroics, victories, failures, and fear from the very populace they aimed to protect. A lot of things was decided to be done in secret, remaining nameless for periods of time. The intent was made to counter the workings of kingdoms, so they weren't chained down while hunting living humans who would see that the world be coated in Dark…people like Aldrich and Pontiff Sulyvahn with their Age of the Deep Sea.

 _Keep yourself attuned to the Dark's nature, rather than walk in light visible to the world. Those who wish to be granted eyes in the light, lose their very soul to the world and their pleasures._

Returning on the present, Phjose eyed the clothing on the hanger. "Would your father be intimidated if you were to procure his clothing without permission?"

"Nah, he's cool with it and he won't know until he gets back. Besides, do you seriously want to continue wearing those rags?" Yang asked as Ruby pulled at his moth eaten waistcoat for reinforcement ripping a new hole with the weakened threads, the man heaving his shoulders for a soundless sigh as he reluctantly took the clothes feeling the thin fabric of the shirt rubbing against a hard bendable material, Phjose nearly fought off the urge to snap the item by the pressure of his hand. He didn't get a second to rest as he soon found himself being dragged by Yang, the man remarking how strong she was despite her slender weak-looking frame that she could easily tug him to a walking pace up the staircase. _It would seem that the humans of this age are strong too, how interesting…_

Walking through the spacious hallway, Phjose was greeted with sets of six doors, noticing that the second one on the right opened where Yang rounded the corner the ancient fighter following Yang closely as he turned the corner. He shielded his eyes immediately, as a bright light shone directly above his head when he looked up, casting his eyes downward while Yang gestured to the interior.

"Well, here we are. Place your clothes away from our laundry basket and in the pail here, we don't want any other insects crawling in our clothes," Yang gestured to the room in general, grabbing a pail placing it by said basket. Phjose nodded while he looked away from the light above, trying not to look entirely shocked as he eyed the bathtub which was in front of him with several bottles of labels that he did not recognise. Yang didn't notice this, instead waving her hand at the bottles and various items lying around the rim on tiled squares. "The soap's over there with the shampoo, body wash is next to it but I rather have the soap bar to use."

 _A soap bar, glad to see some things are the same,_ Phjose internally spoke in relief at the familiar piece of bath utensils, Yang moved over to the doorway. "I'll leave you to it, just come down when you're done."

Phjose nodded watching the girl shut the door behind her leaving him to wash himself, the man silently watching the tub water which shifted and sloshed against the pure white walls of the bathtub. Watching the tiny waves, Phjose felt nostalgic as he knelt at the tub, stirring it.

 _Comfort and practicality, humanity's descendants have certainly come far indeed,_ was his foremost thought of appraisal towards them, observing the tub. Digging his hand into the water testing the temperature to find it was warm, Phjose looked at the strange metal cross knobs and a sprout uncertain of what it meant to do. Grabbing it, Phjose turned one of the knobs, fascinated as a stream of water appeared as though by magic Phjose jumped a little at the hissing noise.

 _What a contraption, and Lady Atlansarnai used to jest about some false cleric who claimed a rotunda ran on miracles than an actual key back in Drangleic,_ he commented on his emotion of child-like curiosity. Placing his hand underneath the water, he flinched back when his hand began to feel as though it was being coated in ice, Phjose feeling his numbing hand as he looked at the knob, seeing a blue indicator. _Blue like ice, unique…and this one has a red like fire, so heated water then, I suspect,_ he thought as he turned the other knob and ran his hand under it only to be scalded by the temperature.

"Ow! Just like a dragon's fire breath, it is!" He said shaking his hand to rid himself of the irritating heat spreading across his skin as he used the cold water to cool himself, sighing in relief while he recounted what he had just learned. While he waited for his hand to recover, his attention was taken by a chain sitting below the sprout, Phjose with his curiosity already being teased by the tap's properties began to wonder what it did. Without hesitation, he held the chain tracing it down beneath the water as he pulled it out, a splash of water and a mysterious item attached to the end of the chain.

"What do we have here?" Phjose muttered as he heard a loud flushing sound from the tub, the man looking down seeing the water form into a whirpool. Looking at the small plug, he slowly placed it back inside over the large hole, noticing that the water level had lowered slightly along with the sound coming to a halt. _Ah, a chain with a portable barrier to prevent the loss of water while one bathes…clever._

Removing his clothes, placing them in the pail Phjose stepped into the bath carefully noting his body causing the water to rise nearly spilling over the rims of the tub onto the tiled flooring. _For all their improvisations, they certainly leave something to be desired about preventing leakage._

"Either way, this is much better than the wooden tubs. I always hated those things," Phjose scowled recalling a certain incident where one of the fellow Lords had snuck up on him and managed to overturn the bath, making Phjose run after the culprit in nothing but his towel all around the castle. The culprit had also made him burst into a meeting between the others, the faces of amusement and their struggling faces to hold their mouths from bursting into laughter haunted him. Of course, the culprit got a beating for it but the trauma of stalking into the main hall with only a towel became an infamous story, and Phjose soon took baths in the river.

"Damn those two, I swear that they have it out for me," Phjose murmured under his breath as he looked up at the ceiling, wiping some of the water over his tired eyes and face, with the peace of the bathroom Phjose found that his thoughts began to drift from reminiscing reviewing the situation. Here he was, sitting in a tub with the private space in an era which wasn't his own lost and confused in this new time. To add to his concerns further, he was separated from his fellow Lords away from their capital base of operations without acquired knowledge of the current world's changes.

He shrugged the stray thoughts off, shaking his head as he sank his head into the water dousing his oily hair into the bath spewing bubbles before he burst from the surface, wiping his face as he grabbed the bar of soap briskly running the bar over his body while he tried his best to relax. While stopping the Dark and all was important, Phjose needed a clear head than charging off impulsively to find unnecessary trouble to add difficulty to his intended path. If he was summoned here, then the Great Flame must have had a reason for separating them instead of simply summoning all of them in the same place.

"I wonder how the others are doing. Dusan and Altansarnai would be able to handle themselves well enough…but those twins, they're the real concern those troublemakers." He muttered under his breath, recalling the many times that the pair had caused a nuisance for the group, whether through pranks or other more serious issues the two had a penchant for attracting the wrong kind of attention. Phjose couldn't even count with his own two hands how many times he had to pull their weight in spite of their skill in battle, though in their defence the brother had a better sense than his sister when it came to caution.

"Those two best not do anything stupid."

* * *

Vale forest

"We're doing something really stupid." The male shadow muttered while his sister trotted ahead, completely oblivious to her surroundings as she balanced herself on the aged thick branches over the raven-haired girl, dangerously close to hearing range as she creeped cautiously above, using her ears to hear the crunch of Blake's shoes stepping on the leaves and branches. Her brother meanwhile was keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of the black creatures, his hand gripping the sheath of a sword with a cross guard's hilt ready to draw on any ambitious ambushers. The woman peeked out into the small spot of sunlight, revealing the tip of a tricone hat while a strip of red cloth over her eyes could be seen as porcelain white skin, pale as a corpse, had a thin voluptuous smirk.

"We have the rings equipped, she'll hear but she won't know where." The woman whispered back as the pair kept their feet light as they watched Blake head right, pushing ahead through the bushes while they kept surveillance above the ground.

The man scrunched his features, impatience as he kept his head leaning out over the branch to see where Blake was heading. "Where is she even going?"

"Isn't that the question of the day, brother?" The woman asked as she noted Blake looking both ways bringing out a small rectangular metal item from her pocket, both siblings leaning closer as they quietly observed making no sound. Their curiousness turned to wonder as Blake unfolded the rectangular item, drawing the diagonal corners out in an instant, a blue screen appearing out of thin air while a loud ping could be heard from the item.

"What is it? Did you see something interesting?" The woman elbowed her brother in the back, urging him upon hearing the ping. "It seems that the girl has a device, foreign and able to emit a sound with what appears to be an image within the air. She seems to be checking it for something."

The male shadow watched as Blake tapped the strange device, shutting it as she turned right, the female with the tricone hat immediately moving close to her brother just as she saw Blake's soul outline head off towards the right. "She's getting away! I'm going to go after her."

The man didn't have time to react before the woman began to take tentative steps across the branch. "Sis, wait! Don't just wander off!" His words fell on deaf ears as he watched his sibling ignore his warning, leaping onto a neighbouring branch through the autumn foliage of yellow and red vanishing behind the cover of leaves much to his chagrin, the man grinding his teeth as he resisted the urge to curse at her. Instead of jumping after his sister, the man held back, raising his hand to the air.

"Blathnat, Blathnat get back here! Damn it!"

"Damn it sis," he uttered in disbelief at being left behind, opting to stay well-hidden while he crept across the aged branch reaching the end where an adjacent secure branch could be seen. From here he waited, patiently for his sister to return, taking the small window of privacy of thick heavy silence in the tree, the man twirling his sheathed sword. "Meh, she'll be fine with handling anything."

Five minutes later

"She's taking her sweet time." The man muttered in irritation as he rose from the branch he had rested on his patience clearly on the thin end as his eyebrow twitched, narrowly avoiding a fall as he held onto the branch with his palms slapped against his body freezing a little from the instinctive fear of the height.

"I should get going, who knows what's happening." the man taking a step towards the edge of the branch, spotting the safe spot to leap onto not far from the end of the web of small thickets of tree shoots and child branches. Going into a kneeling position, he prepared his body as his legs geared to leap.

*thwump*

"?!" The man saw the small twigged branches shiver in front of him, the man immediately froze in realization at the presence of extra weight as his reflexes stirred within his mind. It only took a full second before a voice confirmed his thoughts.

"There you are."

*fhwump*

"Ugh!" The man felt a kick to his spine shove him violently off the branch as he immediately tucked his legs to his chest, stretching out his hand to grab at the ground only to be rebuffed as he fell shoulder first onto the ground rolling around while he closed his eyes, trying to avoid the dust from getting into his eye as the pair twitched upon the dust infiltrating his eyelashes.

"Gah, my eyes!" The man wiped his eyes, regaining a bit of his sight as he heard a scraping sound above him, the invisible man looking up.

Blake dived down immediately Gambol Shroud aimed at his face the Faunus' bow twitching hearing the invisible figure's heavy breathing, the man rolling to the side as he removed the ring from his finger, uncloaking himself to the girl. The sunlight revealed a young man around the age of 20, his sandy blonde locks stained with mud and water running down his full cheeks, a pair of silver eyes returning her stare with one to match, thin lips chapped from the cold wind. A tattered black cloak wrapped itself around his back, eaten holes of broken threads seen across the torso and the lining of the hood, disguising his body within while he held the sheathed sword out in front of him like an active barrier going into a guard stance. Blake who held detached Gambol Shroud into its split SMG pieces her indexes hooked against the triggers ready to take him apart if he made a wrong move, the blonde man glaring at the ring in his forefinger and thumb with an angered glare.

"Damn this ring, it's power must have waned over the centuries or something."

"I'll ask you only once, why are you following me?"

* * *

End

Author's notes: Here is the sequel to the first chapter, it's been through a lot of re editing so I apologize for the slow uptake. This chapter has underwent quite a lot of changes, most of which I am happy with.

I also had a message from Warden of Lore, who asked about the timeline of events that have taken place leading up to the story, so here is a brief history to get you guys into gear.

First Age of Fire-Gwyn starts the Age of Fire, events spiral out of control with the Chaos, Seath's experimentations and various tragedies force Gwyn to burn himself at the Kiln. After a period of time, a Chosen Undead defeats Gwyn and sacrifices himself to the First Flame out of a drive for purpose.

Dranglaic's Age-A Bearer of the Curse, a knightess of faith, makes her way to Dranglaic to find a cure to her curse. Finding out that the Throne gave her nothing to hope for a cure, she cursed the throne and threw away the King's key into Majula's chasm. She would soon be killed by an ambitious Undead, who sought to place himself on the throne.

Age of Cinder-The Age of Fire turns to ashes, and two Ashen Ones fight their way through various obstacles to destroy the Soul of Cinders. Completing their mission, they finally cast away their identities inviting the Age of Dark.

Age of Dark-Manus, incomplete and in search of power sends out a call to his children and many other humans to him. They worship him, the Church of the Deep crowns him the new Father of the Deep Age and promptly try to wrest as many souls from the remaining people. The Ashen Ones, no longer chained by the nature of their past selves, stood their ground and fought against the Dark. Lord Phjose, a wandering soldier of experience was recruited into their ranks as he helped drive the creatures back to their underground tunnels. A battle between the Lords and Manus occurs, in which he is killed once again and will not reform for a long time.

The events leading up to the final battle are uncertain, but fire returned in a blaze of glory under the avatar Great Flame.

Age of Eternal Fire-The Great Flame and the Lords of Dark meet, the three pledging themselves to become Lords of Embers.

The Old One, an ancient devourer of souls which Manus attempted to control in the Age of Dark stirs from their sleep, unleashing a white fog, The Lords of Embers defeating the creature by putting it to sleep. Attempts to destroy the soul arts was near impossible, as soon Allant XII rediscovers it and reignites the Old One. A Demon Slayer and his sister reverses the process, before they pursued the Lords of Embers to their old stronghold asking to join them. They fight before they accept the pair.

Lost History

The Lords of Embers established the Four Queens, time undiscernible

Lords of Embers retreat when their power faded, leaving the four Queens to guard the new human kingdoms, time unknown.

Rumours of an ancient civilisation in tombs attract the attention of the Demon Slayer and his sister, who return with whispers of a 'truth' they did not wish to comprehend.

Hope this has been a comprehensive guide. Anyways, I'm tired from staying up late doing the final piece of this chapter, so I'll take a break. Have fun and see you next chapter.


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